5th December 2009

Successful completion of Doha Round talks stressed

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THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

Speakers at a dialogue at the Geneva Trade and Development Symposium have called for successful completion of Doha round negotiations.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the session on ‘Current Stalemate in Doha Round Negotiations and Prospects for Market Improvement for LDC Products and Services’ on Wednesday in collaboration with the International Centre for trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) during the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ambassadors of LDCs, high officials of international organisations and think tanks, and trade experts took part in the dialogue chaired by the CPD Executive Director Prof Mustafizur Rahman.

Jean Feyder, ambassador of Luxembourg to WTO and chairman of WTO sub-committee on LDCs, said that despite the uncertainties around the Doha Round negotiations, the pressure for implementation of the Hong Kong decision of the duty-free, quota-free market access has to be pursued.

He also emphasised the need for the utilisation of available market access facilities.

Dr Mothae Marupingo, ambassador of Lesotho to WTO and former coordinator of LDCs in WTO, emphasised early completion of a successful Doha Round negotiations.

He pointed out that various constraints in terms of rules of origin and non-tariff barriers should be removed and additional resources have to be committed.

Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, special adviser on LDCs, Office of the Secretary General, UNCTAD, and former ambassador of Bangladesh to WTO, mentioned that the statement that LDCs are not undertaking any obligations in the Doha negotiations is not true. Because by suffering preference erosion due to tariff reduction commitments by developed and developing countries, LDCs are taking commitments.

Two priorities for LDCs are the issue of DFQF market access and temporary movement of natural persons under Mode 4 of the GATS agreement, he reiterated.

Annet Blank, counsellor and head of LDC Unit, WTO, focused on the issue of increased capacity building in LDCs along with greater market access.

She said that aid for trade package will be helpful to increase productive capacity, remove supply side constraints and to boost their competitiveness.

Ratnakar Adhikari, general secretary, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment, Nepal, elaborated how much LDCs will loose due to market access for 97 percent of LDC products and how much more gains will happen if market access for 100 percent products is granted in the markets of developed and developing countries.

Dr David Luke, senior adviser and coordinator, UNDP, emphasised the need for enhanced integrated framework (EIF) under which funds for the trade capacity building will be available.

He also warned that the flow of resources is declining. So, LDCs should demand their share from various sources.

Dr Shishir Priyodorshi of WTO said that in order to utilise the opportunity of market access for 100 percent tariff lines, LDCs have to increase their supply side capacity.

Dr Mustafizur Rahman said that LDCs are still grappling with the same old demands of market access for all products and services originated from their countries.

Given the fact that global financial crisis has been an additional predicament for LDCs in terms of decreased exports of LDCs, the need for a successful completion of Doha round negotiations becomes all the more important, he added.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Annisul Huq, CPD’s researcher Dr Fahmida Khatun, private sector representative Dipu were also present at the dialogue.